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Another positive step in recovery

Published: Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 5:10 p.m.

When BP says it is changing the focus of its oil-spill response from cleanup to recovery, the cynics among us might object that there is still cleanup to be performed.

The company readily admits as much. But the fact is that the complex and long-term effort to clean up the Gulf and its adjoining marshes and waterways goes beyond simply capping the leak and laying down oil-absorbing boom.

Those strategies are important, of course, and the company has spent months doing those things. The effort has not always gone smoothly or met with success, but overall, it has proceeded, slowly but surely. Now, according to the federal government, just about one-fourth of the oil spilled into the Gulf remains — much of it below the surface of the Gulf.

There is oil that is still dirtying the fragile wetlands of our coast, and depending on tidal pressures and possible storms, more could still be pushed inland. But the work to remove the oil is continuing. The question is how best to do that.

BP says it has been more than a week since oil that could be picked up by skimmers has made its way onshore.

That is great news in itself. Having the well capped has obviously decreased the amount of new oil flowing into the Gulf, which should translate into less of it washing ashore.

As that process evolves, it will change the way BP and the federal government go about removing what oil there still is.

One interesting dilemma is how BP will remove oil from large, sandy beaches. If the oil is concentrated in small patches, it should be able to be removed. But the company says it is working on developing a way to remove oil from large areas of beach without removing the sand.

“Part of the discussion is that we don’t want to just be removing tons and tons of sand from the beaches as part of the cleanup,” said Ivor van Heerden, a coastal scientist who is working for BP.

Another complicating factor is that work crews can disturb native plants and wildlife as they try to clean oil out of the wetlands and off the beaches.

To limit some of the damage, the company has removed some oil-tainted booms by helicopter from above rather than sending workers onto the sensitive areas.

Part of the inland strategy will depend on the wetlands’ ability to repair themselves despite the oil that may remain.

“Research shows these plants will bounce back,” van Heerden said.

That is a hopeful sign that things might return to some sort of normalcy. On the other hand, vast quantities of oil remain, both inshore and offshore, suspended in the water and washed onto barrier islands and beaches and into marshes.

The cleanup effort will continue for some time to come. That much we know.

What we still do not know is how long it will take, how successful it can be and how dedicated the company will remain to returning our coast to a semblance of its pre-spill condition.

Early indications, though, are that the total picture is not nearly as bad as we first thought or that it could have been. For that, we should all be grateful.

Editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper, not of any individual.

<p>When BP says it is changing the focus of its oil-spill response from cleanup to recovery, the cynics among us might object that there is still cleanup to be performed.</p><p>The company readily admits as much. But the fact is that the complex and long-term effort to clean up the Gulf and its adjoining marshes and waterways goes beyond simply capping the leak and laying down oil-absorbing boom.</p><p>Those strategies are important, of course, and the company has spent months doing those things. The effort has not always gone smoothly or met with success, but overall, it has proceeded, slowly but surely. Now, according to the federal government, just about one-fourth of the oil spilled into the Gulf remains — much of it below the surface of the Gulf.</p><p>There is oil that is still dirtying the fragile wetlands of our coast, and depending on tidal pressures and possible storms, more could still be pushed inland. But the work to remove the oil is continuing. The question is how best to do that.</p><p>BP says it has been more than a week since oil that could be picked up by skimmers has made its way onshore.</p><p>That is great news in itself. Having the well capped has obviously decreased the amount of new oil flowing into the Gulf, which should translate into less of it washing ashore.</p><p>As that process evolves, it will change the way BP and the federal government go about removing what oil there still is.</p><p>One interesting dilemma is how BP will remove oil from large, sandy beaches. If the oil is concentrated in small patches, it should be able to be removed. But the company says it is working on developing a way to remove oil from large areas of beach without removing the sand.</p><p>“Part of the discussion is that we don't want to just be removing tons and tons of sand from the beaches as part of the cleanup,” said Ivor van Heerden, a coastal scientist who is working for BP.</p><p>Another complicating factor is that work crews can disturb native plants and wildlife as they try to clean oil out of the wetlands and off the beaches.</p><p>To limit some of the damage, the company has removed some oil-tainted booms by helicopter from above rather than sending workers onto the sensitive areas.</p><p>Part of the inland strategy will depend on the wetlands' ability to repair themselves despite the oil that may remain.</p><p>“Research shows these plants will bounce back,” van Heerden said.</p><p>That is a hopeful sign that things might return to some sort of normalcy. On the other hand, vast quantities of oil remain, both inshore and offshore, suspended in the water and washed onto barrier islands and beaches and into marshes.</p><p>The cleanup effort will continue for some time to come. That much we know.</p><p>What we still do not know is how long it will take, how successful it can be and how dedicated the company will remain to returning our coast to a semblance of its pre-spill condition.</p><p>Early indications, though, are that the total picture is not nearly as bad as we first thought or that it could have been. For that, we should all be grateful.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>